Cybersecurity Tips

Posted by Colin Heggie on May 28, 2019

Loredana Eisenhauer introduced local computer security contractor Robert Spraggs, COO of Aegis Systems Canada, which provides cybersecurity for a variety clients. He claims that in 2018, 40% of small & medium-sized businesses were attacked, because 1 - protection is expensive, 2 – security is often outsourced, & 3 – remote access increases risk. Hackers will access your files, encrypt them, then demand a ransom for an encryption key. Even in cases where a ransom is paid quickly, typical downtime is at least a week, so the cost of downtime is added to the cost of the ransom, & all the resources needed to solve the problems. Windows 10 allows some protection from ransomware, through use of OneDrive, but all files then become subject to US law & NSA scrutiny. One’s best protection is through daily off-site or off-line backups, testing your preparedness, & ensuring your protection software is always up-to-date, including firmware on routers & firewalls.